U.S. patent number 4,867,468 [Application Number 07/244,949] was granted by the patent office on 1989-09-19 for decking technique for delivering a plurality of trucks and for towing generally.
This patent grant is currently assigned to PACCAR Inc. Invention is credited to Jeff Paul, Michikazu J. Tao.
United States Patent |
4,867,468 |
Paul , et al. |
September 19, 1989 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Decking technique for delivering a plurality of trucks and for
towing generally
Abstract
A technique especially suitable for delivering trucks from their
manufacturing site to a common delivery site. Each of these trucks
includes a decking bar mounted to and extending across the truck
main chassis in front of and above the axle of its front wheels and
a saddle arrangement connected with the chassis adjacent the
truck's back end. One of the truck's is selected as the lead,
towing truck and the decking bar of a second truck is supported on
the saddle arrangement of the lead truck such that the second truck
can be towed by the lead truck from the manufacturing site to the
delivery site. This technique can also be used to transport an
additional truck or trucks between these points and it can be used
for towing generally.
Inventors: |
Paul; Jeff (Union City, CA),
Tao; Michikazu J. (Castro Valley, CA) |
Assignee: |
PACCAR Inc (Bellevue,
WA)
|
Family
ID: |
22924740 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/244,949 |
Filed: |
September 15, 1988 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/402;
280/901 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60D
1/00 (20130101); B60D 1/481 (20130101); B62D
53/00 (20130101); B60D 2001/005 (20130101); Y10S
280/901 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60D
1/00 (20060101); B62D 53/00 (20060101); B60D
001/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/401,402,903
;180/14.1 ;296/210 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Conco International, pp. 28-29, Jun. 1976..
|
Primary Examiner: Marmor; Charles A.
Assistant Examiner: Mar; Michael
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Flehr, Hohbach, Test, Albritton
& Herbert
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a truck including a main support chassis mounted on front and
back wheel assemblies, the front wheel assembly including a front
axle, and a cab and engine supported on the chassis, the
improvement comprising:
(a) a decking bar mounted beneath the front end of said chassis and
depending therefrom, said bar extending across said chassis
transverse to the lengthwise axis of the truck at a location in
front of and above said front axle; and
(b) a saddle arrangement connected with and extending upwardly from
a top surface of said chassis adjacent the back end of the truck,
said saddle arrangement including at least one jaw adapted to
engage and lock the decking bar of a second, similarly equipped
truck within said at least one jaw for supporting the front end of
the second truck in a raised, decking position during delivery of
both trucks from their manufacturing site to a common delivery
site.
2. The improvement according to claim 1 including a fairing
disengageably mounted to the roof of said cab and means for
fastening the fairing in a vertically extending, decking position
to the back side of said cab immediately above the chassis during
delivery of the truck, the length of said fairing being such that
it extends from the chassis at one end thereof to the top of said
roof at its other end.
3. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the height of said
truck from the ground to the top of said cab is approximately
13'-5".
4. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the interior of
said cab is sufficiently large vertically so as to allow a trucker
6'2" tall to stand within the cab without bumping his head.
5. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said decking bar is
spaced approximately 13.6 inches above said front wheel assembly
axle.
6. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the vertical
distance between the floor of said cab and the cab ceiling is at
least approximately 6 feet.
7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said cab ceiling
slopes upward from the front of the cab to the back thereof.
8. The improvement according to claim 6 including a storage shelf
within the cab over the driver and passenger seats.
9. The improvement according to claim 6 including a bunk bed within
the cab over the driver and passenger seats.
10. The improvement according to claim 6 including a lower bed
supported on the floor within the cab behind the driver and
passenger seats and a bunk bed mounted over the lower bed.
11. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein said bunk bed is
foldable.
12. A method of delivering a plurality of trucks from a
manufacturing site to a common delivery site, each truck having a
main chassis mounted on front and back wheel assemblies, the front
wheel assembly including a front axle, said method comprising the
steps of:
(a) providing each truck to be delivered with
(i) a decking bar mounted to and extending across the truck's main
chassis transverse to the lengthwise axis of the truck at a
location in front of and above said front axle, and
(ii) a saddle arrangement connected with said chassis adjacent the
back end of the truck;
(b) selecting one of said trucks as the lead, towing truck;
(c) supporting the decking bar of a second one of said trucks on
the saddle arrangement of said lead truck such that the second
truck can be towed by the lead truck; and
(d) using said lead truck to tow said second truck from said
manufacturing site to said delivery site whereby to deliver both of
said trucks to this latter site.
13. A method according to claim 12 including the steps of:
(a) supporting the decking bar of a third one of said trucks on the
saddle arrangement of said second truck such that both said second
and third truck can be towed by said lead truck; and
(b) using said lead truck to tow said second and third trucks from
said manufacturing site to said delivery site, whereby to deliver
all three trucks to this latter site.
14. A method according to claim 12 wherein each of said trucks
includes a fairing which is disengageably mounted to the roof of
its cab and which extends lengthwise a distance approximately equal
to the vertical distance from the chassis of the truck to the top
if its cab, said method including the step of fastening the fairing
in a vertically extending decking position to the back side of its
cab immediately above the chassis during delivery of the truck.
15. A method of towing one truck with another truck, each trunk
having a main chassis mounted on front and back wheel asemblies,
the front wheel assembly including a front axle, said method
comprising the steps of:
(a) providing each truck to be towed with
(i) a decking bar mounted to and extending across the truck's main
chassis transverse to the lengthwise axis of the truck at a
location in front of and above said front axle, and
(ii) a saddle arrangement connected with said chassis adjacent the
back end of the truck;
(b) selecting one of said trucks as the lead towing truck; and
(c) supporting the decking bar of a second one of said trucks on
the saddle arrangement of said lead truck such that the second
truck can be towed by the lead truck.
Description
The present invention relates generally to trucks of, for example,
the cab-over-engine type, and more particularly to a technique for
delivering trucks from their manufacturing site to a common
delivery site in a decked fashion.
One known way to deliver a group of three trucks from a
manufacturing site to a common delivery site is to mount the front
axle of one of the trucks to be towed on a saddle arrangement
supported by the truck doing the towing, while the front axle of
the third truck is mounted on a saddle arrangement supported by the
first truck being towed. It should be apparent that the very
uppermost point of each of the trucks being towed is higher than
that point normally is when all four wheels are on the ground.
Thus, if it is desirable to transport trucks in this way or to tow
them in this way generally, this difference in the height of the
truck must be taken into account, especially in states where truck
height is limited to a maximum height of, for example 13 feet, 6
inches, as in many states. Thus, under these circumstances, if
decking is contemplated during delivery or during towing generally,
the maximum height of the truck on all four wheels (e.g., in its
driving condition) must be less than would be possible if decking
were not contemplated.
The actual difference in height between the typical cab-over-engine
type of truck in its normal driving condition (with all four wheels
on the ground) compared to the same truck in the decking condition
described above, that is, with its front axle mounted on the saddle
arrangement of the truck in front of it, is approximately 40
inches. This difference in height has heretofore typically been
taken from the cab of the truck in order to make the truck
deckable. As will be described in detail hereinafter, the present
invention contemplates an improved decking technique in which as
much as ten to twelve inches is saved from this difference. That
is, the truck which is decked in accordance with the present
invention is as much as ten to twelve inches lower at its uppermost
point than the same truck that is decked in accordance with the
previously known technique described above. As a result, as will be
seen, the cab itself can be made ten to twelve inches taller and
the truck can still be deckable.
As will be described in detail hereinafter, the truck disclosed
herein is one which includes, among other components, a main
support chassis mounted on front and back wheel assemblies and a
cab and engine supported on the chassis. In accordance with the
present invention, a decking bar is mounted to and extends across
the chassis transverse to the lengthwise axis of the truck in front
of and above the axle of its front wheel assembly. This truck also
includes a saddle arrangement connected with the chassis adjacent
its back end. Trucks of this type may be delivered from a
manufacturing site to a common delivery site, or towed generally,
by supporting the decking bar of one of the trucks to be towed on
the saddle arrangement of the truck doing the towing. In the case
where three trucks are being delivered from the manufacturing site
to the common delivery site, the decking bar of the third truck can
be supported on the saddle arrangement of the second truck, that
is, the other truck being towed.
It should be specifically noted that the decking bar of each of the
trucks just described is located in front of and above the axle of
its front wheel assembly. Thus, the uppermost point on that truck
in its decking position is lower than it would be if the truck were
supported on its front axle rather than its decking bar. In an
actual working embodiment, the decking bar is as much as ten to
twelve inches vertically higher than the front axle.
Because of the savings in height due to the new decking technique
described briefly above, the truck disclosed herein has been
designed to include a cab whose interior is greater from floor to
ceiling than prior cabs by this savings. At the same time, as will
also be seen hereinafter, the truck includes a faring which is
disengageably mounted to the roof of its cab and which extends
lengthwise (from its front end to its back end) a distance
approximately equal to the vertical distance from the chassis of
the truck to the top of the cab. In this way, the faring can be
disengaged from the roof and fastened in a vertically extending
position to the back side of the cab immediately above the chassis
during delivery of the truck or towing generally. With the faring
in this position, it does not add to the overall cab height.
The overall decking technique described briefly above and the
trucks involved will be described in more detail hereinafter in
conjunction with the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of three trucks shown in a decked
condition for delivery in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of one of
the trucks shown in FIG. 1, specifically illustrating the decking
bar of one truck mounted on a saddle arrangement of another truck
in order to provide a decking arrangement in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic illustration of the decking bar
and part of the saddle arrangement of FIG. 2, in cross section,
along with some surrounding components;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the decking bar in
plan view;
FIGS. 5-8 are diagrammatic illustrations of various truck cab
embodiments designed in accordance with the present invention.
Turning now to the drawings, wherein like components are designated
by like reference numerals throughout the various figures, three
trucks generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 are shown in
what may be referred to as a decking condition for delivery from a
manufacturing site to a common delivery site. With the exceptions
to be discussed hereinafter, each of these trucks is known in the
art and will not be described in detail. Moreover, as will be seen,
the present invention does not require that the trucks be of any
particular type, although the specific trucks shown are of the
cab-over-engine type.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, each truck 10 includes, among other
components, a main support chassis 12 mounted on a front wheel
assembly 14 and back wheel assemblies 16 and a cab 18 and engine
(not shown) supported on the chassis. Each truck also includes a
faring 20 which is designed in accordance with the present
invention to be disengageably mountable to the roof of its cab
while, alternatively, being supportable to the back of the cab
during decking, without adding height to the cab.
Turning specifically to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 in conjunction with FIG.
1, the lower front end section of one of the trucks 10 is shown in
detail. More specifically, in FIG. 2, front wheel assembly 12 is
shown including a front axle 22. In addition, as seen in FIGS. 2, 3
and 4, each truck is designed in accordance with the present
invention to include a rigid decking bar mounted to and extending
across chassis 12 parallel to, in front of, and above front axle 22
of wheel assembly 14. As seen best in FIG. 4, the decking bar
includes end sections 26 bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to
side frames of the chassis 12.
Each truck also includes a saddle arrangement 28 connected with
chassis 12 adjacent the back end of the truck. In the particular
embodiment illustrated, the chassis arrangement is mounted on top
of and extends upward from an upwardly facing surface of chassis 12
immediately above rearwardmost wheel assembly 16. This saddle
arrangement includes one and preferably at least two upstanding
posts 30 laterally spaced across chassis 12 and each post pivotally
supports a pair of jaws 32 which are best illustrated in FIG. 3.
These jaws are designed to grip the underside of decking bar 24 and
thereby support the latter. The jaws may be locked in their
gripping position by any suitable means such as the cooperating
bolt 34 and nut 36.
In accordance with the present invention, the middle truck shown in
FIG. 1 is decked onto the lead truck (the left hand truck as viewed
in FIG. 1) by supporting the middle truck's decking bar 24 on the
saddle arrangement 28 of the lead truck, in the manner shown in
FIG. 2. The third, right hand truck is decked onto the middle truck
in the same manner and the lead truck may be used to tow the other
two from the manufacturing site to the common delivery site.
During transport between these two sites, the fairing 20 of each
truck is fastened by suitable and readily providable means to the
back side of its cab. Note specifically that each fairing extends
vertically from a rearmost point adjacent its chassis 12 to a
forwardmost point adjacent to but not above the top, back end of
its cab. In this way, the fairing does not add any height to the
cab in its decked position. Upon delivery of the trucks, their
fairings can be mounted to the roofs of their cabs.
It should be apparent from FIG. 1 that the top of the cabs of the
trucks being towed are higher than the cab of the towing truck. In
an actual working embodiment, the distance from ground to the very
top of each of the trucks being towed is 13'-5" maximum which is
just below the maximum acceptable height in many states. However,
as discussed previously in conjunction with FIG. 2, each decking
bar 24 is located immediately in front of and above the front axle
22 of its associated truck. As seen in FIG. 2, the decking bar is
above its adjacent front axle by a distance d which, in an actual
working embodiment, is approximately 15.3". Thus, when a truck 10
is in its decking position, its uppermost point is lower than it
would be if it were supported on saddle arrangement 28 by front
axle 22 by an amount approximately equal to or slightly less than
the distance d, or approximately 13.6" in an actual working
embodiment. As will be seen below, this savings of 13.6" is
utilized in the truck cab itself. That is, the truck cab 18 is
designed to include a greater interior height, that is from floor
to ceiling, at the front of cab by approximately 13.6" . Additional
space is gained at the rear of cab due to the slope created in the
working embodiment, shown as distance e in FIG. 1. In this regard,
note that the interior of the cab is sloped upward from the front
to the rear a total amount approximately equal to the distance e,
thus grounding even more height in the back of the truck cab. In an
actual working embodiment, the distance e is about 6 inches.
Referring specifically to FIG. 5, the interior 38 of truck cab 18
is shown. Note specifically that the trucker, generally indicated
at 40 is able to stand on floor 42 within cab interior 38 without
his head touching the ceiling 44. In an actual working embodiment,
the distance from floor 42 to ceiling 44 is slightly more than 6
feet, 2 inches. The individual shown standing is 6'2". Note also
that there is room within interior 38 to include an upper bunk bed
46 extending across the cab interior behind the driver and
passenger seats and above the bed 48 supported on the floor of the
cab. Upper bunk 46 is of the foldable type. Further, because of the
additional distance e gained at the rear of the truck during
decking, the ceiling within the truck cab can be sloped upward as
shown in FIGS. 5-8, thereby providing extra head room in the back
of the cab. In an actual working embodiment, the ceiling at the
back of the cab is higher than the ceiling at its front by about 4
inches.
In FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 modified cab interiors 38A, 38B and 38C,
respectively, are illustrated. Each of these cab interiors includes
the same floor to ceiling height as interior 38. In the case of
interior 38A, rather than providing standing room for the trucker,
the space above him is utilized for storage, as indicated at 50. As
indicated in FIG. 7, the upper space is utilized to support an
upper bunk 52 directly above the driver and passenger seats.
Finally, interior 38C, like interior 38, provides standing room for
the trucker and a nonfoldable bunk 54 immediately above bed 48.
FIGS. 5-8, as described immediately above, present only a few of
many different possible interior designs for cab 18 of truck 10.
However, all of these designs have in common that their floor to
ceiling dimension has been increased by approximately 13.6" over
many of those trucks in the prior art which, like truck 10, rely on
decking during delivery or towing. As stated previously, because of
the present decking technique which uses the previously described
decking bar rather than the truck's front axle, approximately 13.6"
(in an actual working embodiment) is saved and incorporated into
the cab. At the same time, the truck includes a roof fairing during
normal driving conditions (as opposed to decking conditions). Thus,
in accordance with the present invention, truck 10 not only
provides increased height within its cab interior and a roof
fairing but is also deckable during transport between its
manufacturing and delivery sites or during towing generally.
* * * * *